The present invention relates to a device for holding an abutment during a dental procedure. The invention further relates to a device which can be used to hold healing caps, healing screws, contoured healing abutments, PME (precision margin esthetics) abutments, PME impression pins, hexed transfer assemblies, straight and angled fixed system components, and hexed coping screws.
The handling of objects during a dental implant procedure has traditionally been a difficult task. The procedures involve the use of instruments and objects in a restricted area. The objects being inserted into the mouth are usually small, the environment in which they are placed is moist, and the teeth, tongue and cheeks all cause problems. The angle of approach when the objects are inserted into the mouth is difficult, especially when the objects are being positioned into the sides of the mouth. Additionally, the insertion of the objects is further complicated by the shape, material and size of the objects. Many of the materials used have slick surfaces, small flat surfaces or other surfaces which prevent stable gripping. The devices available to perform the function of gripping the various objects to be inserted into the mouth have typically been designed to address the problem of the small gripping area and problems associated therewith. These devices typically have scissor-like or tweezer-like designs which consist of two elongated pieces which are held together by some means. The operator grips the device at one end and the object to be inserted is held at the opposing end of the device.
One such design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,647 (xe2x80x9cthe ""647 patentxe2x80x9d). This device is designed to hold crowns and has a curved insertion end with tips which are positioned in a manner which places the gripping surfaces at the front and the rear of the teeth. The device of the ""647 patent is bulky and the grips will not accurately place an abutment for insertion. An additional problem with the ""647 device is that it is usable on only half of the teeth. The operator must purchase two of the devices, the second being a mirror-image of the first device, to allow access to all teeth.
Other prior art devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,575 for holding dental floss, U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,171 a universal carrier, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,827 for orthodontic tweezers are available for inserting and gripping various objects within the mouth. However, none of the known devices address the issues of the awkward angle required when the object is being inserted into the rear of the mouth and the requirement of one instrument for use with all teeth.
The current invention provides a device for holding a dental object such as an abutment, healing cap, healing screw, contoured healing abutment, PME (precision margin esthetics) abutment, PME impression pin, hexed transfer assembly, straight and angled fixed system components, hexed coping screw or the like when the object is being inserted or otherwise located into a patient""s mouth. The device according to the present invention is tweezer-like and has substantially identical first and second members each having a joined end and a free end. The members are disposed in an V-like configuration, with the joined ends interconnected and the free ends spaced apart such that as the members are urged towards one another, the free ends are urged into contact. Each of the members has a handle portion that includes the joined end, and an offset gripping portion. The gripping portion of each member has a junction segment which is joined to the handle portion and forms an interior angle in the range of 70-110 degrees with the handle portion. The gripping portion also has a grip segment with a first end joined to the junction segment and a second end configured to grip a dental abutment through cooperative action with the second end of the grip segment of the other member such that the central axis of the dental abutment is retained at an angle in the range of 60-90 degrees to the handle portion.